GreyStone. Morning.
Someone had been through Claudia's things while she'd been gone. Again.
She could see the fine work of Spinelli on her laptop. She smirked, wondering whether Sonny was trying to decode Sinatra tunes or struggling to find a Mandarin translator.
Her jewelry had been moved around. The hidden compartment on her watch had been opened and closed back up. Well, good for Spinelli. The kid was smart in not-so-obvious ways.
Unfortunately, what they were all looking for was hidden right under their noses. One of Claudia's last acts before being rushed to the hospital was to sneak the pen back onto Sonny's desk. And why would anyone search one of Sonny's pens for a hidden compartment?
Sonny wanted her to start work again. At a leisurely pace. Probably milking her mind of all its knowledge before she was gone. That was okay, though. Because today, she was going to be milking Spinelli's computer. She liked Spinelli. She really did. But he was going down with the rest of them when all of this was over.
Claudia made her way downstairs for a snack. Jason and Sonny were in the living room, and it looked like she was interrupting something.
"I'm just getting a snack and something to drink," she said. "Then I'll go back upstairs."
"Wait," Jason said.
"Jason. Don't," warned Sonny.
"I'm just asking. You don't have to do anything you don't want to," Jason said to Sonny.
"What?," asked Claudia.
Jason looked at Sonny. Sonny nodded.
"What do you think should be done with Dante?"
"Oh," said Claudia. She leaned against the couch. "I think he should get a message to the F.B.I. soon. Make them think everything's going smoothly on his end. And then start feeding them bad information. But have Spinelli check everything before it gets sent off -- even the outgoing email address."
There was no response from either man, so Claudia continued into the dining room.
"She's smart," Jason said, after she was gone.
"Yeah," said Sonny. "But somehow everything she does fails."
******************************************************
Titus Waters Fertility Clinic. New York City.
Nikolas sat in the waiting area.
As a rule, he didn't like using people's weaknesses against them. And he wasn't sure about the legalities of what he was about to do. But just as Claudia had apparently weighed her child's life against her Uncle Rudy's freedom, Nikolas was finding that when it came to the life of someone he loved, he was willing to throw his traditional ethics out the window.
Dr. Waters had been introduced to Nikolas by Robin Scorpio. At the time, Dr. Waters was one of Robin's favorite mentors from med school. He was looking for funding for a special research project involving multiple births in older patients. Robin hadn't been around when Dr. Waters was caught embezzling funds by Nikolas' accountant. And far be it for Nikolas to knock the good doctor down off Robin's pedestal. Dr. Waters and Nikolas had come to an agreement. Nikolas would forgive the embezzlement -- as long as Dr. Waters successfully sought treatment for his gambling habit. And so it came to be that only three people ever knew about the crime: Nikolas, Dr. Waters, and the accountant.
Nikolas hadn't been thinking about exploiting Dr. Waters when he'd helped him out.
"Mr. Cassadine?," said the clinic administrator. "Dr. Waters will see you now."
But now that the opportunity presented itself, he was going to take advantage of it. There was a tiny part of Nikolas that wondered if the Cassadine in him had set the situation up, in anticipation of today.
"Thank you," Nikolas said, as he rose and went inside the doctor's office.
**********************************************************
Greystone. Afternoon.
Claudia had been plying Spinelli with orange soda all day. And it had the desired effect. He'd been in and out of the bathroom all morning and afternoon, giving Claudia ample time to copy everything from Spinelli's computer that would fit on the flash drive.
After Spinelli's fifth trip, Claudia was done for the day. She slid the flash drive back into the pen, and slipped the pen into her purse.
It was too bad she didn't have room for a hard drive somewhere. That would make everything go faster. She could just duplicate Spinelli's whole computer, and then be able to concentrate on hard copies and information about the other organizations.
She went to the desk and explored all of the drawers. No. Even if she were to build in a false bottom into one of them, Sonny would notice. He used that desk every day. Sometimes only as a leaning post, but he did use it.
She looked at the credenza with the pictures of his children lined up on it. Now that had possibilities. She couldn't remember the last time he'd used it. She opened the middle top drawer. Too small for a hard drive to be hidden. What was behind the door underneath? She opened the door and her breath caught. A framed photo. She'd forgotten that Spencer was Sonny's nephew.
She took out the photo and closed the door. He was so young here. You could see Nikolas more in him now than when he was younger. But still. He'd always had those Cassadine eyes. So dark. And he looked so serious! So tempting to make him laugh. That's how she often felt about Spencer. It was like making Nikolas use slang. Or catching him by surprise with an irreverent nickname. For some reason those things made her laugh and moved her. She knew she was probably not going to see Spencer again. Except as a photo. Nikolas could plan all he wanted to, but there was no way out of this. If there'd been a way, she would have never left the Island. But in spite of everything, she was glad she got to be there as long as she had been.
"Vixenella?"
Claudia looked up in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry, Spinelli. I didn't see you there." She put the photo down.
"Why so distraught?"
"Distraught?"
"You -- you've been --" There was no easy way to say this. "Your face..."
Claudia put her hand to her face. It was wet. "Oh. This?" She quickly wiped the tears away. "No need to be frightened. I just -- well, pregnancy does things to you." Claudia put the photo back inside the credenza.
**********************************************************
Dr. Water's Office. Fertility Clinic.
"All of these questions are hypothetical?," Dr. Waters asked.
"For now," Nikolas said.
"Okay. Hypothetically, you don't want to induce labor early. It poses substantial risks to both mother and child. As does an early C-section. Aside from infections, you also run the risk of subjecting the infant to being born too prematurely. Due dates can be wrong."
Nikolas was silent as he absorbed that. So much for Plans A and B. But something else started to take shape in his mind. As the thought developed, he asked more questions. "How soon after giving birth can mother and child travel by airplane?"
"There's debate about that. I certainly wouldn't advise risking it until at least two weeks afterward."
"Why?"
"Blood clotting for the mother. Hemorrhaging. Problems for the baby due to air pressure changes. And aside from all that, most airlines will not allow you to fly until two weeks afterward."
Nikolas was silent for so long that Dr. Waters thought the conversation was over.
"Would you like to tour the clinic's research lab, Mr. Cassadine? I'd like to bring you up-to-date on our progress."
"No, thank you."
Nikolas was silent again. This time, Dr. Waters didn't break the silence. Nikolas did. "What are the dangers in adjusting a due date?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Is there any danger incurred by changing a due date?," Dr. Waters did not seem to comprehend. "Let's say, hypothetically, that the child is due on the 14th of September. What would happen if the patient's chart was changed to a later due date?"
"Due dates are adjusted as needed. I don't see any reason to worry about a changing due date."
"I'm not being clear," said Nikolas. "The child would still be due on the 14th, but the chart would reflect a different date. Shall we say the 28th of September?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would someone change the date?"
"This is all hypothetical."
"It seems to me to be a foolhardy hypothesis. Every single doctor on call would have to be aware of the change. And the original date. There's no need to --"
"Any physical risk to mother or child?"
Dr. Waters was taken aback by Nikolas' abruptness. This was not the Nikolas Cassadine he knew. "No."
"Thank you," Nikolas said. "I'm afraid you'll be taking a sabbatical, Doctor. From the clinic. You'll be generously compensated. And your clinic will be well taken care of. I need you at General Hospital."
**********************************************************
GreyStone. Claudia's Bedroom. Evening.
How did she end up looking under the bed again? She swore she was done with this after of those evil dvds.
Where do you hide a hard drive when your possessions are being searched daily? There had to be someplace that was just hers. A place Sonny and the rest of them would never think of going.
She checked the time. Sonny should be home soon. Better get back on the bed with a book.
**********************************************************
GreyStone. Living Room.
Sonny arrived home to find Spinelli alone in his living room.
"Where's Claudia?"
"She retired for a respite in anticipation of this evening's repast."
"She's sleeping."
"That would be affirmative. Yes."
"Then just say it. She eat lunch?"
"Indeed, Mr. Sir."
"Why are you still here?"
"Stone Cold requested that I make note of any atypical comportment on the part of Mrs. Sir -- and make report of such findings to you."
"What? See, this is a problem. Freaky Boy. When I can't understand you, I --"
"Mrs. Sir cried today."
Sonny took that in. "That's all you got? She's pregnant. She's got hormone things going on."
"She cried after encountering this." Spinelli produced the photo of Spencer Cassadine.
Sonny took it. Looked at it. Looked at Spinelli. "You can go."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Sir." Spinelli bowed his head obsequiously and went to go.
"Wait," said Sonny, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. He handed the paper to Spinelli. "Check this out. Make sure there are no hidden F.B.I. messages in it."
Spinelli nodded and hurried out of GreyStone.
Sonny looked at the photo of Spencer again. He'd forgotten that he'd even had it. So Claudia had cried. There was a weakness there. Sonny didn't know what that meant. But he took the photo and placed it alongside the photos of his children. Might as well see what effect that had on her.
He went in the kitchen to make her dinner.
**********************************************************
The Spencer House. Evening.
"So what time did he say he was coming?," Lulu asked, tasting the chili.
"Would it matter?," asked Lucky.
"No. I guess not," said Lulu, coughing a little, her eyes watering. "I think Dad thinks unreliability adds to his legend."
"Really?," said Lucky. "I just think he's drunk half the time."
"Hey, don't you think this is a little too hot for the kids?"
"A little too hot for the kids? No. That's what this is for," he said, pulling a second pot out of the oven, and moving to the sink to grab a clean glass. "I'm easing them into the spicy stuff. Here."
Lucky handed Lulu a glass of water. "Evil. You just added this much to ours to see if you could get steam coming out of my ears, didn't you?"
"You caught me." Lucky checked his watch. "I'm going to wake up the kids." Lucky headed up the stairs.
"Hey," said Lulu, calling him back. "Why is Spencer here? Not that I don't love seeing him."
"Nikolas went to New York on business. He doesn't want Spencer in the same house as Helena without being there to watch over him. Can't say I blame him." Lucky continued up the stairs.
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!," Lulu called out.
She pulled the door open, and immediately became misty-eyed.
"Mom."
"Oh, Lulu." Laura pulled Lulu into a hug.
"What are you doing here?," asked Lulu, soaking up as much of the hug as she could before letting go.
Laura pulled back and looked at Lulu. "I thought I was overdue for a visit."
Lulu pulled Laura into the house. "Come in, come in. I'm so happy to see you. And guess what? All the kids are here today. Even Spencer."
As Lulu went to close the door, a foot wedged its way in, preventing it from closing all the way. The door swung open.
"Argh!," said a familiar voice, tinged with pain. "Now why would you want to shut out..." Luke's voice trailed off as he saw Laura. "...your old man."
